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Disappearing and 'in peril' breweries with Tris39
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Detail Pages
Olde Royal Oak, Burton On Trent Town, Burton on Trent
Burton on Trent
DE14 1HA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Will Larter left this review about Olde Royal Oak
The collapse of Fownes Brewery last summer led to the closure of this pub, but it has reopened under different management. On my recent visit I noted Greene King Olde Trip on the bar (maybe with a nod to the "Olde" in this pub's name), and a keg GK IPA, so it looks like it may now be part of that brewery's portfolio. As with quite a few of their pubs these days there are a number of beers from other breweries on the bar, including Oakham, Salopian and a rarity from Craven. (I also noted the Thornbridge version of Pale Rider, with the pump clip mistakenly badging it as Kelham Island Brewery.) I went for a swift half of Bass which was in decent condition (NBSS 3.5). It's hard to judge a pub on a Saturday evening, but I found it a bit rougher than what I remembered from my visit in 2022, so I'll try again next time I'm in Burton at a more civilised time.
On 31st March 2024
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3751 recommendations about 3486 pubs]
Pub SignMan left this review about Olde Royal Oak
Down one end of Burton’s market Square, this is a smart little pub run by the Fownes Brewery. The pub has a single room layout, with carpeting throughout and the servery along the left-hand wall. The bar has a high wood panelled counter in front of a rather plain tongue and groove bar back. A couple of banquettes in the front window bays, the right one of which also boasted a lit fireplace, unlike the unused one to the left, felt like optimal spots to grab a seat, thanks to the natural light coming through the obscured panes of the front windows. The room opens out a little opposite the bar, where a high table or two afford the only seating options in a space otherwise given over to vertical drinking, but more tables and chairs appear to the right, whilst at the back of the room, a raised space acts almost like a dining area thanks to its formal table layouts, although I’m not actually sure they do food here. A decent 90’s indie soundtrack played in the background throughout my stay and a couple of other customers came and went over the course of my stay, but the place generally felt pretty quiet.
Fownes beer dominated the handpulls, with options on this visit comprising Korvaks verdict, The Elephant Riders, Mermaids Tale, Royal Oak Bitter, Seven Crowns and Troll Hunter. I tried the Korvaks verdict, which was in great shape, served by a friendly barmaid and a nice drop ahead of my long schlep out to the town’s not-so-central, Central Premier Inn.
I probably didn’t see this pub in its best light, due to the lack of any real post-lunch trade, but it seemed like a smart, well looked after pub with friendly service and a nice showcase for the brewery. Not quite in the top tier of Burton’s pubs for me, but not all that far off either.
On 7th June 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Olde Royal Oak
Traditional town-centre pub, with quite a narrow frontage and not a great deal of depth so not a huge amount of space inside. As the Fownes Brewing Co tap, we found six of eight handpumps in use during our mid-October visit, and my Elephant Riders pale ale (£1.95, half) was in excellent shape.
On 1st December 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Olde Royal Oak
My first visit since the pub reopened as the Fownes Brewery tap, whose beers were previously unknown to me. Not any more, as the quick half that I had decided to have turned into two when I appreciated the quality of the first. Both Fownes Holy Roller and their Troll Brew were in very good condition, and probably not far off deserving better than the NBSS 4 that I gave them. There's a fair chance I'll be back in Burton just to visit this one again - though it would be rude to walk past all the others on the way from or to the railway station without popping in for one or two.
Date of visit: 14th October 2022
On 28th November 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3751 recommendations about 3486 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Olde Royal Oak
This is clearly a building with some history in a prime location to one side of the Market Place Square. I believe it’s had a bit of a chequered history and has opened and closed on several occasions over recent years and has been in danger of being closed for good on more than one occasion.
Fortunately at the moment it seems to be enjoying a spell of rude health as it is now the Brewery tap for Fownes Brewing and has benefitted from an internal makeover well described by the other reviewers below. The only thing to add to the descriptions below is the back section by the toilets which houses a well tucked away dart board.
The bar supports eight real ale hand pumps on the first section and a large keg tap dispensing unit on the second bar section which had a good range of the breweries products available in both cask and keg, the former probably being largely responsible for the Royal Oak being awarded the CAMRA Burton and South Derbyshire Branch Pub of the Year for 2022.
On our visit the Fownes ales on offer were Royal Oak Bitter, Elephant Riders Big Hopped Pale Ale, King Korvaks Saga Porter, Troll Brew Pale Ale, Frost Hammer Grapefruit Pale Ale and Holy Roller West Coast IPA. I went for the Grapefruit Pale Ale and it was one of the best beers of the day.
Good to find this pub functioning well and would also add it to the list of establishments not to be missed on any real ale crawl around the town of Burton.
On 29th October 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2122 recommendations about 2001 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Olde Royal Oak
A good traditional pub housed in a splendid looking building overlooking the main Town Sq. Also an excellent selection of Fownes beers on our visit. Fownes Brewery is based in Brierley Hill, which is a couple of miles south of Dudley. I went for the Elephant Riders, which was a very good pint of beer and really hit the spot.
On 26th October 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Olde Royal Oak
The rear of the pub dates back to around 1640 when it was just the Royal Oak and today is the tap house for Fownes Brewing Co, with their barley legible name to the pump clips.
I went for their The Elephant Riders and found it to be in great nick.
This is a good pub and I too agree that it’s better than the Dog across the square, with its shrieking baby.
On 17th October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1993 recommendations about 1959 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Olde Royal Oak
A slightly peculiar old pub on the old marketplace, with a decor combining bits from many different decades over the ages, a welcome change from the typical corporate makeover. The beers from the Fownes brewery were good too.
On 16th October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3352 recommendations about 3289 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Olde Royal Oak
Clearly an old pub and you can feel that once inside, B F describes the layout below along with the beers, I had a couple in here as the main group of crawlers reassembled, both the Elephant Riders and Holy Roller were in fine fettle. I liked this pub more so than the Dog down the road.
On 16th October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1875 recommendations about 1848 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Olde Royal Oak
Brewery tap for Fownes Brewing,this traditional pub is to one side of the large Market Place.Inside there are two front sections either side of the front door with banquette seating and a log burner to the right.The bar is to the left ,the pub extends to a mid section with dining type tables.The interior is pleasing but without noteable heritage features.
.The barmaid was chatty and friendly and also works at The Dog very close by and so a great double header for ale lovers.
On my trip the Fownes ales on offer were Royal Oak Bitter,Elephant Riders,King Korvaks Saga (NBSS 4.5),Troll Brewer,Frost Hammer and Holy Roller.
One not to miss on any real ale crawl around town.
On 15th October 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2737 recommendations about 2737 pubs]